Two Parts of One Whole
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: When disaster strikes and Buck stays close to Inez, will she finally dare to change her "nunca" response to his every advance?  Het.


Title: "Two Parts of One Whole"  
Author: Pirate Turner  
Dedicated To: This fic is lovingly dedicated to and penned for my beloved Jack, whom complained of my never writing a Buck/Inez fic and not being especially fond of Buck as he feels that Buck is the member of the Seven whom he most closely resembles, and also with a tip of the ol' hat to Dale Midkiff, who celebrated his birthday around the time I wrote this fic, my one, and more than likely only, Buck/Inez story.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: When disaster strikes and Buck stays close to Inez, will she finally dare to change her "nunca" response to his every advance?  
Challenge: My darling husband Jack's disappointment that I'm not a Buck/Inez fan (As my regular readers know, I'm far more an Ezra/Inez chap and a BrigaDear than I am a Buck's Babe.)  
Warnings: Het, Unspecified Modern AU  
Date Written: 4 July, 2010  
Word Count: 2,453  
Disclaimer: Buck Wilmington, Inez Recillos, Nathan Jackson, all other characters mentioned within, and The Magnificent Seven are & TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM, and Trilogy Entertainment, not the author; are used without permission; and may not be used without permission. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Her dark eyes were drawn to the beauty of the man. She knew he would probably feel insulted if he discovered she thought he was beautiful as he'd think it was only a word that could describe a woman, but Inez could think of no other word to describe Buck so well. He was handsome, sure, but so were the other six men that she rarely saw him without, the six who comprised his family, a family who could be no stronger or closer than if the same blood actually flowed through their veins. Yet Buck was more than handsome. His body was handsome, but the thick waves of ebony that topped his head, his sensual baby blues that secretly stole her breath every time they sparkled, and his mustache that always gave away his true feelings to her combined with his animal magnetism to make him truly beautiful.

She sighed as Buck shot up out of the water and then dove back into the waves. Yes, he was beautiful, but he was also a pain. She could well remember most of the lines he'd tried on her over the years, and he'd attempted millions. She was convinced he knew every line ever used and made up at least hundreds more to go along with them - and he had used them all, from the old, silly ducks that never worked to lasso in any real woman to many of the most original sayings she'd ever heard, on her.

She had batted them all away, however, and she knew she had to keep him at bay for as beautiful, sweet, and endearing as Buck could be, he was a rover. He would never settle down nor stop his eyes from being pulled to the next pretty lady that came along. He kept coming to her, and onto her, not simply because she was a woman who he would like to get to know better, in the bedroom sense, but moreover because she was the only one to ever dare to tell him "no" or, as she preferred to put it, "nunca".

But nunca was not what her heart screamed. Her heart longed to think that perhaps he might really love her if she was to ever give him the chance to do so, but her brain warned her that she was far better off without him for Buck Wilmington would never know the meaning of "settle down". He would always be a bachelor, a rover, and a roaming lover. No woman would ever keep his attention for long, and spending the rest of his life with any one was something Buck would never do.

She supposed it wasn't really his fault. She'd heard about his mother and how he had been raised, and she knew that he had known very little love throughout his life until meeting with the other members of his team. If he had the right woman, he might finally love and be able to reciprocate it, but if she dared to try to be that right woman and her hope, as she feared it would, turned out empty, she would have a broken heart again. This time, she might never recover from it, because it had been her caring friends, Buck and his brothers, who had managed to piece together her heart the last time.

Inez shivered as she remembered the blows she'd suffered at the hands of the last man who had touched her intimately. Buck would never hit her. She was certain of that. Yet she was also certain that his betrayal, when it would come, would be far more painful than any physical thing she had ever felt. The loss of him, and from his brothers who would follow, would be so painful that it would rip apart her heart and tear her soul asunder, and she would never recover. She was not ready to face that fear and doubted she would ever be bold enough to do so.

* * *

Buck quirked an eyebrow where he now floated upon his back. He could feel eyes upon him, and his heart skipped a beat at the thought of who he had seen floating in the direction from whence he felt the feminine gaze. He kicked himself up, and water sprayed from his body. He looked toward his admirer, and a brilliant smile lit his face when he saw Inez watching him.

* * *

Inez's brown eyes shot wide. He'd seen her! She blushed and quickly turned her gaze away. Her hands swam in the water beneath her, quickening her pace as she floated further away from Buck.

"INEZ!"

*Madre de dios!* hissed through her mind. Why did she have to continue to be such a fool over the man? Why couldn't she keep her eyes off of him? Oh, but he was so beautiful, she thought again, her whole body feeling flushed and heated by the memory of the water that had flown in droplets from his rich, dark hair and ran down his bare, muscular chest. What she wouldn't give to lick the water from his hair, whether it be that on top of his head or the dark curls upon his chest, from his body, to feel his arms around her . . . !

*Usted es un idiota! Pare esta locura inmediatamente! Cul es incorrecto con usted, senorita?* Inez snapped at herself. She knew better. Had she not just been reflecting upon the pain that his betrayal would bring her? And he would hurt her! He'd never love her the way she could so easily love him if she ever dared allow herself the luxury! The man simply wasn't capable of sticking to only one woman - not for a lifetime, not for a year or even a month, and probably not even for a week! Carajo, she'd even seen him date two women in one day, and that hadn't happened very long ago!

She seethed at her stupidity as she continued to float without a thought of the direction she was heading in. She looked up only when she felt something curl around her foot. She kicked off the vines that had wrapped around her foot, and then she screamed as something sharp swiftly pierced her ankle.

* * *

Buck cussed a blue streak a mile long as he strove forward through the water with his every muscle rippling and his mind intent on one thought. He had to get to Inez! Of all the women he had ever known, she was the only one to work her way completely underneath his skin to the point that even the mere thought of living without her was unbearable. His heart roared in his ears as he swam faster than he'd ever swam before.

He didn't think when he reached her. He just moved the weeds away, spotted the snake, grabbed it immediately behind its head, and flung it away from the swimming area with every bit of the strength he possessed. "Oh, Inez!" he cried as he gazed down at her. Her beautiful body had grown completely still, and blood was beginning to ooze from the two pinpricks the snake's fangs had left in her ankle.

He pulled her into his arms, and for the first time, she didn't fight him. She gazed up at him with emotions swimming in her lovely, brown eyes. "Buck . . . "

"Sh, baby, it's okay. Ol' Bucklin's here now." His voice was soft and choked with his own emotions as he struggled to reassure her. He swept her long, raven hair away from her face, and his fingers thrilled at the touch of her tendrils that were every bit as silken as he'd always imaged them. He stood up with her in his arms and pulled her close against his chest.

Inez was vaguely aware of the sound of Buck's heart pounding against her ear. She frowned. He was . . . scared? Scared for her? Why? Because she was a friend. That had to be all it was, and yet . . . She ached for more! "Buck . . . "

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm takin' you to Nathan right now." Buck looked up to the shore where he could see his friends already gathering. He was relieved to see both Nathan and his medical bag and thankful to know that he very rarely left home without it.

He continued to talk to Inez in a failing attempt to comfort both her and himself. "I didn't mean to scare ya, darlin'. I just . . . I can't help watchin' ya, ya know that, right? You're so beautiful you take my breath away." A smile touched his lips, though his eyes remained full of worry, as he saw her own mouth curve up into a gentle smile. She was listening, but what he didn't understand was that she was smiling because of how close his thought about her reflected her own thought of him.

"And then I saw ya headin' for the weeds. Ya know that ain't no place for swimmin'. I just knew somethin' was gonna happen. I should've got to ya faster."

"Buck . . . "

"We're almost there now, darlin'. He's waitin' for us. They all are. It's gonna be okay."

" . . . not your fault . . . "

Yes, he reprimanded himself silently. It was. He knew Inez was still full of fear because of what that bastard Don Paulo had done to her. He knew she was as easily spooked as a young doe, but he had still allowed her to know that he knew that she had been watching him. *Fool! Idiot! You don't deserve her!*

That was the pure and simple truth of the matter, he thought sadly. He didn't deserve her. He'd never deserve a woman as beautiful and kind as Inez. He always talked a good talk, but she deserved a man who would stand by every bit of what he said - and had the money to be able to buy her the sun, the moon, and the stars that he promised.

Nathan took Inez from Buck the moment he reached the shore. He fell to the ground beside her and watched as Nathan worked on her. Memories of all their times together played through his mind. He didn't deserve her, but God, how he loved her! *Please let her be okay,* he whimpered silently, his eyes glued to her as he ignored all his friends' efforts to reassure him. He repeated the prayer over and over again.

* * *

Seven hours later found him still sitting beside her when Inez's eyes slowly blinked open. She groaned and shut her eyes again quickly. The light hurt.

Buck jumped to his feet, slapped the light switch off, and yanked the cord of a nearby lamp on the wall. "Inez?" he called, hovering beside her and gazing down into her beautiful face with utmost concern written plainly upon his own. "Sweetheart? It's okay. Try and open your eyes again. Sorry about the light. I didn't think to turn it off when the guys left."

"B-Buck?"

"Yes, darlin', it's me."

Inez's brown eyes slowly fluttered open. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Staying with you, of course, beautiful." He grinned down at her. "What does it look like?"

She gazed at him uncertainly, and he took a deep breath. He'd almost lost her, and she was still so afraid of him. He dared to reach down, lift her hand, and hold it in his. His other hand softly caressed her face. "Inez," he swore softly, "I'm not gonna hurt ya, darlin'."

She smiled sadly up at him as she wondered why he would still be there with her if she didn't mean more to him than all the other women she'd watched him trailing along over the years. "You saw me watching you today," she admitted quietly.

"Yeah, I did, and I've never been more honored before in all my life."

Her smile quirked. She shook her head slightly. "Why?"

"Because you're the most wonderful woman I've ever known. Because you brighten my entire world with the smallest smile. Because I . . . I don't deserve you, but I want a chance to be able to do so. I want . . . " He took another deep breath, then forced the words in his heart out of his mouth. "I want a chance to love you like you should be loved. I don't know how well I can do on that, darlin', but I promise I'll love you better than you've ever been loved before and I'll never leave you unless you tell me to go."

The truth of his feelings for her - his love and adoration - and the truth of the words he spoke glimmered in his blue eyes as Buck gazed down at Inez. "And if you do, that'll rip the Hell out of me. There won't be anything in this world left livin' for, but I'll go. You've only gotta tell me."

Time passed quietly between them as he gripped her hand like it was a lifeline to his survival, and indeed it was for the survival of his heart and soul. She considered his words and her every fear about opening herself up to him and all the promises he'd made her over the years. But then she saw the love for her still shining in his beautiful, blue eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. "Si."

"No nunca?" he whispered fearfully.

"No. Si. I love you, Buck! I've tried so hard not to, but I can't help it. You're . . . magnificent." Somehow that word fit him more than any other she could think of to describe him, even more than beautiful, and there were many that flitted through her mind. Handsome, beautiful, loving, sweet, wonderful, darling, dear, charming, enchanting, and magnificent were only some of the countless descriptions, all of which rang true for the man who had worked hard to win over her heart and succeeded in doing so forever.

Buck's face lit up as he smiled bigger than she'd ever seen him smile before in their entire time together. Indeed it was the biggest smile he'd ever worn. "Then you've just made the happiest man in the whole, wide world, darlin'," he told her. "I love you too!" He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in the most passionate kiss that either one had ever experienced. Passion and love exploded from his mouth against hers, shooting throughout their entire beings and filling the empty holes that both had suffered in their hearts and souls for far too long. Together they were whole, and together they would always remain!

**The End**

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this story, or any of my other writings, I hope you'll consider joining my friends and I at a brand new fan fic/art site called Ficcers Unite. At Ficcers Unite, we welcome all fandoms, pairings (slash and het), and even no pairings at all; hope to begin a Marvel/Disney RPG soon; and plan on issuing challenges every day of the week! We have Mag. 7 challenges on Wednesday! Come on over and check us out at today!


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